New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delivered a stern message to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders: “Raja ki tarah mat bano, jameen se jure raho (Don’t behave like kings, stay connected to the grassroots).”
He has also asked BJP office-bearers not to be “arrogant” and to listen to ordinary party workers who have made them leaders, ThePrint has learnt.
This came Sunday when the Prime Minister interacted with BJP’s national office-bearers, in-charges of states, presidents and general secretaries of state units, among others. The meeting was chaired by BJP president J.P. Nadda.
Multiple leaders ThePrint spoke to said that the PM’s message was a wake-up call to party leaders who were becoming complacent. It has come in the backdrop of criticism of the BJP for its failure to counter the narrative against the central farm laws on the ground in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
According to a senior BJP leader, PM Modi, who attended the meeting in the morning, also told the party leaders to inform people about the benefits of the three laws.
“PM Modi spoke for at least 40 minutes but rather than a speech it was more of personal interaction with the office-bearers who were asked to give a brief introduction about themselves,” said the senior party leader. “While addressing the office-bearers, Modiji urged them to stay connected with the grassroots level workers as they are the foundation of the party.”
Another party functionary told ThePrint that Modi in his interaction spoke about being more humble, inclusive and approachable.
“He wanted to convey the message that party leaders should not be arrogant towards their cadre and meet them more often as it sends a positive message,” the second functionary said. “At the same time, he told them to not confine themselves to their offices and hit the road.”
‘Spend time on the field to dispel rumours’
The PM advised his party leaders to give effect to the party’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’ and spend more time on the field to dispel rumours and misunderstandings, if any.
“The PM said BJP’s aim is not to capture power but to serve the people and work for the development of the nation,” a third party leader said, adding that Modi highlighted the positive economic and agriculture reforms initiated by the government that is in line with the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’ mantra.
“This is a very regular and routine thing PM Modiji has said that the party leader should stay connected with the cadre and the cadre with the masses,” said R.P. Singh, national BJP spokesperson. “We should not try and read too much into it.”
According to sources, PM Modi had a light-hearted conversation with the participants in which he said that though he did not want the participants to tell the media about what transpired in his address, he was sure that “some would go out and speak”.
In the same meeting, amid the ongoing farmers’ protest against the three contentious farm laws, the party had passed a resolution thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for passing the laws and carrying out reforms in the agriculture sector.
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